Tag: genealogy

Ancestors, Castelfondo, Italy, Cousins, Family History, Family Trees, Genetti Family

Branches of the Genetti Tree

by L.Roach • February 25, 2026 • 2 Comments

As many living descendants of the Genetti family are second-, third-, and fourth-generation Americans who have moved from the original states where our forebearers settled, you may not know which branch of the family tree you belong to.

First, it is important to remember that the Genetti family traces its roots back to the village of Castelfondo, Italy, as early as 1265. Our first ancestors were a father named Giovanni (Johan in German) and his sons. According to the ancient text of the Codex Cles from 1307 and a later German journal, Neues Jahrbuch, published in 1899, the family was granted the title of “freeman” by the ruling Tyrolean Prince-Bishop. This established the family surname and the beginning of the Genetti tree. However, since official church documentation of births, marriages, and deaths was not part of Catholic practice until the last half of the 1400s, the Genetti family had 200 years of growth. As a result, the family split into several different branches. Today, there are at least four or five distinctly different Genetti family lines living in Italy, other European countries, the United States, and South America. Most of the Genetti family ancestors who immigrated to the United States belong to our specific branch of the larger ancient tree, which traces its first documented ancestor to Pietro Genetti of Melango, born sometime in the mid-1400s. (FYI: Melango is the ancient name for Castelfondo.)

The journey to the Americas began in 1867 with the arrival of Costantino (August) Genetti (1842–1914). Costantino was the first documented immigrant from our family tree to leave Castelfondo, settling and raising his family in Collinsville, Illinois. Other family members soon joined their older brother in Illinois, working in the miners or becoming farmers. During the following decades, Genetti cousins from different branches established their own families, businesses, and culture in Pennsylvania, Illinois, Michigan, Wyoming, and Argentina.

The color-coded tree accompanying this blog post illustrates our original immigrant ancestors and the locations where they settled. Note the maps on the right side: the states colored in Turquoise represent Genetti families from other lineages, distantly related prior to the mid-1400s and therefore not on our specific tree. The states in Yellow (New York, Massachusetts, and Connecticut) indicate a Genetti family not related to ours at all; their family originated in a different part of Italy and changed their surname from Genitti to Genetti upon arrival. You can read about them in my 2015 blog post, “A Case of Mistaken Identity!”.

Who were our first ancestors to settle in each state?

Pennsylvania: Cosma Damiano Genetti arrived in 1877 with two sisters, Angela Maddalena and Anna Maria. He married and began his family, returning to Castelfondo in 1888 where he and his growing family lived until he once again embarked for Pennsylvania in 1902. In 1887, Damiano’s parents, Leone and Cattarina, made the journey with their 20 year old son Angelo Raffaele. By 1906, Damiano brought over his entire family of four sons and five daughters, and established his family meat business in Hazleton. Over the years he traveled back and forth from Hazleton, PA to Castelfondo several times. On one shipboard trip he accompanied his youngest sister Erminia Enrica across the ocean in 1890. Eventually Damiano return in his later years to his beloved Alpine village while the rest of his family remained in Hazleton. He died there in 1944. Notable arrivals to Pennsylvania from other branches of the Genetti tree included brothers Fortunato Valentino (arrived 1898) and Narciso (arrived 1899), as well as Dionigio and Faustino Genetti, who settled in Nuremberg and Black Creek in the early 1920s.
Illinois: Costantino (August) Isidoro Francesco Genetti arrived in 1867. He was followed by brothers Nicolo Cipriano in 1872 and Vigilio (William) in 1888. Two sisters, Rachele Arcangela and Domenica Geltrude, also joined their brothers in Illinois. Nicolo Cipriano returned to Castelfondo after working several years in the mines. But brother Vigilio remained, married twice and raised a large blended family. Their father, Cipriano, eventually arrived shortly before his death in 1890. Many descendants of this family still reside in Collinsville, Illinois and neighboring communities.
Wyoming: Angelo Genetti first traveled to Rock Springs in 1887 to work the coal mines before returning to Tyrol in 1892. His four sons—Francesco (Frank), Enrico, Ermenegildo (Herman/Joe), and Dominico—later settled in Wyoming between 1910 and 1918. You can read an entertaining biography written by Ermenegildo (Herman) on our website about early life in southwestern Wyoming, entitled: Herman’s Howlings, click here. Distant cousins to the three earlier mentioned Genetti siblings, brothers Pietro (arrived 1900) and Lodovico Genetti (arrived 1905) traveled to Wyoming. They were actually cousins of the Michigan brothers, but decided Wyoming would be their home rather than Michigan. The brothers settled in Superior and Rock Springs where they both raised their families.
Michigan: Angelo Pietro Genetti settled in Bessemer in 1899, followed by brothers Camillo Gaetano Andrea (arrived 1907) and Gabriele Arcangelo (arrived 1909). By 1905 Enrico Giovanni Battista and his brother Germano Romedio, made Ironwood, Michigan their home. Enrico and Germano were 3rd cousins to Angelo, Camillo and Gabriele. Unfortunately Germano eventually decided to return to Castelfondo. Due to his young age, he was required to serve in the Austrian military forces and was immediately drafted into the army to fight in World War I. He lost his life somewhere on the Russian Front in 1917.

Today, descendants of these original Genetti ancestors are spread across the globe. Rather than just miners and farmers, they are now business owners, professionals, educators, artists, distinguished military personnel and leaders in their communities.

Conclusion

Though our ancestors left the Alpine shadows of Castelfondo over a century ago, the “freeman” spirit they carried remains the bedrock of our family today. Whether your branch took root in the coal mines of Pennsylvania, the prairies of Wyoming, or the farms of Illinois, we are all part of a 700-year-old story that continues to grow with every new generation. By documenting these names and dates, we ensure that while we may move far from our original settlements, we never lose the way back to our shared heritage.

Are you interested in having your own original Genetti Family Tree hanging on your wall? You can purchase a poster of this beautiful tree commissioned by Maria Genetti of Castelfondo in our online Genetti Family Shop, just click here. Please note: due to the small type and the many ancestors listed on the tree, we recommend to purchase the following sizes: Medium (31.2 in x 23.4 in) or Large (44.1 in x 33.1 in) as the text on smaller sized posters is unreadable.

**Commissions from the sale of items in the Genetti Family Shop support upkeep of this website and further genealogical research.

Cousins, Obituaries

Goodbye to Two Cousins

by L.Roach • October 16, 2025 • 0 Comments

I recently learned two more Genetti descendants have passed on, both in their 90’s. It is always sad when our senior cousins are no longer with us. They are a generation closer to our ancestors and a link to the past. Each member of our family tree who lives a long, fruitful life is a library of stories and memories. When they pass on, we often loose this knowledge and ancestral connection. Here at the Genetti Family Genealogy Project we try to preserve the memory of our cousins, their experiences and their stories through our website, blog and family tree.

We say goodbye to Helene Lucy Smith Prehatny. Born in 1932 in Weston, Pennsylvania, Helene left us on June 30, 2025 at the age of 93. She was the granddaughter of Raffaele (Ralph) Genetti (1867-1949) and Lucia (Lucy) Zambotti (1865-1952). Always smiling, Helene lived an active, full life centered around family, community service and church. She attended most Genetti family reunions with her husband John, and was always a cheery presence. A great supporter of this website, Helene contributed many family photographs to our Photo Gallery, as well as a beautiful memorial tribute to her beloved grandparents and parents – “Family Memories by Helene Smith Prehatny.” She leaves behind a large extended family of children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. To read Helene’s obituary, click here.

Also leaving us this past summer is William “Bill” Arthur McAdoo. Bill was born a century ago in Detroit, Michigan. He passed on just two months shy of his 100th birthday. A family man, Bill and his beloved wife Dolly, raised three children. His extended family included grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He enjoyed many hobbies and was an active member of his community. Bill was the great-grandson of Costantino (August) Genetti (1842-1914) and Rosina Wahl Hummerer Kermmeier (1842-1926). Costantino was born in our ancestral village of Castelfondo, Tyrol and was the first of the Genetti clan to immigrate to the United States, settling in Collinsville, Illinois. Later in life, the couple purchased a farm in Webster, Missouri. Bill is the grandson of Mary Catherine Genetti (1868-1946) and Antonius Mallman (1860-1905). Click here to read Bill’s obituary.

If any family members or friends of Helene Prehatny or Bill McAdoo would like to share photos or leave a tribute to their loved one on their website memorial page, please feel free to write me through the Contact page on our website. I am happy to include your memories.

Genealogy Resources, Genealogy Tips, Resources, Trentini, Tyrolean History

Link Resource List

by L.Roach • June 23, 2019 • 0 Comments

Our Links section has just been updated! For all you genealogy buffs, or those just fascinated with Tyrolean history and culture, you’ll find this list to be a valuable resource. To locate just scroll down any page on our website and you’ll see the “Links” list in the right hand column, right below “Archives”.

All links have been checked and updated, plus several informative websites added. Here are two that I know you’ll enjoy –

Val di Non to USA:
Discovering our ancestors who left Val di Non for a job or better life in America.
Researched and published by Elaine Erspamer Marchant, this website is truly a work of love! Elaine’s family is from Fondo (just down the road from Castelfondo) and she has made it a mission to categorize as many immigrants as possible who came from Val di Non. This is a fantastic resource for family surnames!

Trentino Family History Links:
Resources specific to Trentino Family History Research
According to genealogist Lynn Serafinn, “this is a new list of resource links specific to the province of Trento (aka Trentino)”. You might know Lynn from her popular column in Filo Magazine called Genealogy Corner. Living in England, Lynn specializes in genealogy research for Trentini descendants, with the majority of her clients being Americans. A frequent researcher at the archives located in the city of Trent, Lynn is certainly the person to hire if you want deep and thorough research into your Tyrolean family tree. In this new section just added to her extensive website, Lynn shares many research tools for Trentini ancestry. She also includes The Genetti Family Genealogy Project under the Family History Blog section of her list! Plus one more interesting point – Lynn has a Genetti ancestor from Castelfondo in her family tree! That’s right, Lynn is a distant cousin to our family! Our common ancestor predates baptismal records, but we believe our closest shared ancestor lived sometime around 1500. Thanks again Lynn for creating such a valuable resource and for including our family website! Make sure you check out the entire Trentino Genealogy website as it is filled with informative articles, personal stories and photographs.

Ancestors, Castelfondo, Italy, Family Stories, Genetti Family

What’s In a Name

by L.Roach • August 30, 2014 • 0 Comments

Cosma Damiano Genetti
Born: 26 Sept 1857
Died: 3 Dec 1944

Have you ever wondered where your name came from? Often when researching family genealogy, a namesake from an earlier generation will become apparent. For example: a son named after a grandfather or a daughter named after a favorite aunt. On the Genetti Family tree, sons are often named after fathers, grandfathers or an uncle. Each branch of our tree also has certain names that are passed down from generation to generation, identifying that particular family line. For example, you see the prevalence of Giovanni Battista, Pietro and Francesco in my branch of the tree. Another branch shows many Giorgio and Pietro ancestors. A third section of the tree has numerous Francesco Nicolo and Giovanni Battista.

When I began researching my great-grandfather and his siblings, I found the names in his family to be poetic and a bit different from others in that generation. A few children were named after family members, but others had their own unique character. My “bisnonno” (great-grandfather) was Cosma Damiano – certainly an unusual name! Other siblings included: Sisinio Alessandro, Angela Maddalena, Angelo Rafaele, Agostino Leone, Dionisio Antonio and Erminia Enrica. All lovely, expressive monikers.

But it was “Cosma Damiano” that I was fascinated by. There were no other men on the family tree with this name. Why had Catterina (my twice great-grandmother) baptized her second son with this odd name? With no clues to go by from the tree, I decided to do a web search. Perhaps he was named after a famous person or his “nome” had some other importance.

Twin physician brothers,
Saints Cosma and Damiano.

The answer came immediately from Wikipedia. “Santi Cosma e Damiano” or Saints Cosma and Damiano, were early Christian martyrs who died in the 3rd century. Twin brothers, they were considered to be two of the earliest physicians. They practiced their profession of healing, refusing to take any payment for their services. OK, this was interesting, but why had Catterina chosen this name for her son? Reading on, I found the clue. The feast day of Saints Cosma and Damiano was September 27. My bisnonno had been born on September 26, 1857 and baptized the next day on September 27th. His mother must have considered her baby’s birth to have an important synchronicity with this feast day. Although I have no proof to go by other than an educated guess, I believe this reasoning to be a fairly good conclusion of why the baby was named “Cosma Damiano”.

Two other interesting points to note:

– The Catholic church decided to move the feast day in 1969 from September 27th to September 26th, which coincidentally now coincides with Damiano Genetti’s birth date!

– Damiano Genetti, like his namesakes, was also considered a physician by the Tyrolean people of Castelfondo, Italy and Hazleton, Pennsylvania. He was well-versed in herbal medicine and several other curative methods. And, like Saints Cosma and Damiano, he took no payment from anyone who sought his services. This information was related to me many times by Damiano’s grandchildren and by several people in Castelfondo. It was also documented in a book by Marco Romano, comprised of interviews by village elders. Damiano and his healing abilities were mentioned many times by those who knew and remembered him.

If Catterina’s intention was to name her son after the two physician saints, it seems to have had a prophetic effect on Damiano’s life.

Read more about Saints Cosma and Damiano:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santi_Cosma_e_Damiano

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saints_Cosmas_and_Damian

Each of our relationships has a trajectory that death doesn’t destroy. We see its arc in the inner changes we undergo when we remember deceased loved ones, and even in outward changes as we continue to mold our lives in response to theirs.

~ Patricia Campbell Carlson

Ancestors, Family Trees, Genetti Family

Continuing Research on Family Tree

by L.Roach • August 23, 2014 • 2 Comments

Most of you know that the Genetti Family Tree is large and extensive. Beginning in the 1400’s, it separates into two branches around 1590, and again divides into four main branches by 1680. The tree follows male ancestors only. Each name contains a birth year along with their spouse and marriage date. Death dates are not included. After the late 1700’s, a population boom is evident as the tree now blossoms out into many branches.

Several years ago, when I began my genealogy research, I concentrated on my particular family line. This involved tracing the original baptismal, marriage and death records for each male ancestor, along with online searches through data bases and other family trees. As I found new information such as death dates, spousal birth and death dates, daughters and missing male children not included on the tree, I added this info to my file. After many, many hours of research I was able to identify and document 13 generations up to my grandfather, along with all of the children born to each ancestor, including birth, marriage and death dates. This information, along with vital stats on spousal families such as the Marchetti and Zambotti families, makes up the online family tree data base found on this website.

Now comes the real challenge – researching the rest of the tree! Between blog posts and adding new photos and stories to the website, I continue to research separate individual branches of the Genetti tree. So far I have added one new line for the Genetti family who emigrated and settled in Illinois. I am currently working on a branch of the family who remained in Castelfondo and another branch whose descendants are in California and Wyoming. But it does take time, so be patient. I have a goal to completely document every Genetti ancestor from Castelfondo and attempt to locate their descendants’ country and state of emigration.

If you would like to help with my research, please email me any information you have about your ancestral line. I will use this information to search church records and accurately document the ancestors before adding them to the online tree.

A special thanks to Chiara Dalle Nogare’s mother, Maria Genetti (one of the four Genetti sisters of Castelfondo), who I have recently learned, commissioned the beautiful family tree pictured above. I consult this tree every time I sit down at the computer for an afternoon of research. It has been an invaluable tool in tracing the Genetti genealogy.

Ancestors, Family Trees, Genetti Family

Why am I a genealogist?

by L.Roach • August 10, 2014 • 0 Comments

The family of Raffaele and Lucia Genetti,
circa 1916.

Many people find my hobby of family genealogy interesting – but exceedingly tedious when they learn how much research is required to accurately compile all of those names and dates. Often they ask “Why do you spend so much time digging into the past?”.

So here are a few musings as to why I am a family genealogist.

Whenever I pass by an abandoned home, usually sitting isolated and alone on an old farm or open prairie, I wonder who once lived there. What memories were created in this house with peeling wallpaper and shutters hanging askew? Why did they leave?

Or who are the long-gone people in period dress peering out from a sepia photograph that I found at the flea market? And who once cherished this memento, but now they are gone too.

Like the vacant home or the family portrait, people are also forgotten. It only takes three or four generations before an ancestor passes from living memory. And truly the only thing that is left after we pass is our memory. As a genealogist, I try to capture and preserve the memories of those who came before me. My charts and trees, names and dates are to honor the ancestors in an attempt to keep their memory alive. In some small way, I hope someone in the future will do the same for me. We all want to believe that our life counted for something, that it had purpose and enriched those we came in contact with. I believe every ancestor created a stepping-stone for the next generation. Their knowledge, courage and life choices made each of us who we are today. Shouldn’t we in the very least remember their names?

The pursuit of genealogy is an awe-inspiring calling and one that I don’t take lightly. The Genetti clan was very fortunate – many relatives throughout the centuries took up the task of recording our ancestry. I am just one in a long line of family historians preserving the memory of past ancestors by compiling a family tree generation by generation. For in remembering and sharing a family’s genealogy, you join the lives of the past with those living today and those to come in the future.